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Parents, teachers and students urge Alachua board to block ICE from schools after district memo
Summary
Dozens of parents, students and educators told the Alachua County School Board during public comment they expect clearer protections after a district memo described staff compliance with immigration agents; speakers cited FERPA, the Fourth Amendment and Title VI while asking the board to clarify protocols and protect student safety.
Dozens of community members used the meeting’s public‑comment period April 15 to press the Alachua County School Board for clearer policies limiting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activities in schools, saying recent district guidance raised fear among students and families.
Speakers — including parents, teachers, students and an immigration attorney — said the district’s memo describing staff responsibilities when approached by immigration agents risked turning schools into extensions of federal enforcement. Several speakers said school officials must refuse requests that would separate children from families unless presented with a lawful judicial warrant.
Why the issue surfaced
Public commenters repeatedly referenced a district memo about interactions with ICE that, they said, instructed staff to comply with requests from federal agents. Denise Mendez, introduced herself as an immigration attorney and told the board that such compliance would be unlawful without a judicial…
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